


Five Times Stephanie Thought Better Of It

by ReaderJane



Category: Stephanie Plum - Evanovich
Genre: F/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-06
Updated: 2006-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-06 10:19:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaderJane/pseuds/ReaderJane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Timeline: after Twelve Sharp<br/>Disclaimer: it's all Janet's</p>
    </blockquote>





	Five Times Stephanie Thought Better Of It

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline: after Twelve Sharp  
> Disclaimer: it's all Janet's

When Lula said, "I'd do it for you."

It was true. Lula would sing in a rock band if Stephanie lost her voice. But that was Lula, who never got embarrassed over anything.

"Don't I help you with your skips when you need it?" begged Lula, her throat rasping painfully. "Don't I give you a ride when your car blows up? Girl, this one time I need a favor and I need it bad. Sally's going to be up there singing all by himself in that thong."

It wasn't just the sequined dress, and it wasn't the singing-in-public thing. It was Stephanie feeling too guilty to say no. It was Lula ignoring reality as usual because Stephanie was always doing Lula favors. It was being Lucy when Ethel proposed some crazy scheme and you knew it was going to be a train wreck but somehow you couldn't get off the tracks.

So even though the first rule of the Burg was, "Friends help friends no matter what," Stephanie gently told Lula, "Not this time."

~~~

When Elroy Dish said, "Go ahead and shoot me, you fat bitch."

She wanted to. Her hands trembled on her Sig. Stephanie glared at Elroy and thought how good it would feel to put a slug right in his filthy running shoe.

But there had already been two skips with bullet wounds in their feet, and how many times could she expect Carl and Big Dog to look the other way? And it was galling to realize how easily she could be manipulated and how well Elroy knew it.

Stephanie drew herself up to her full height. She summoned her best imitation of her mother. "Elroy Cleon Dish, you get on the floor with your hands behind your head RIGHT NOW."

And what do you know? He did.

~~~

When Joe said, "How about this weekend?"

They'd been joking about getting married someday, tossing it back and forth like a football while the Patriots fumbled yet another pass on television. Stephanie tried to lob it back, even though the tone in Joe's voice was too deep to be casual.

"I can't get married on two days' notice. I haven't got a gown. And where would we hold the reception?"

"We could elope. After Valerie's wedding, your mother would probably be relieved." Joe turned to face her. "We could go to Maryland. Stay at a bed-and-breakfast. Shop for rings, have lots of hot, sweaty sex." His eyes were the color of melted chocolate. "Come back on Monday, and you could move the rest of your things in."

The idea tugged at her like a slow current pulling at her feet. There would be comfort, and family, and all the tempestuous patterns of Burg life, familiar as fingerprints.

And the Burg girl in her would be fine. She'd raise kids and drive a minivan. She'd tolerate her mother-in-law.

But the intergalactic princess would starve.

The molten chocolate was cooling. Joe wasn't stupid. He could tell he wasn't going to get the answer he hoped for.

"This is no, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, her voice catching. "This is no."

~~~

When Stephanie's mother said, "I'll get you another piece of cake."

She'd already plowed her way through two helpings of pot roast and potatoes. Stephanie forked up mouthfuls of pineapple upside-down cake, stabbing the plate with a clink before each bite. The button on her jeans was about to pop. She needed this cake, she really did, to get past the resignation on Joe's face.

Then she thought, how weird that she was looking forward to that second piece of cake but she wasn't really tasting the first one. She thought, Joe would still be just as hurt whether she ate one piece or three. And being sick to her stomach didn't make anything better; only worse.

"No thanks, Mom," she said, sliding her plate across the table. "I'm full."

~~~

When Ranger said, "I'm good in a Bronco."

She had no doubt of it. He was good in the shower, and on the kitchen counter, and he was freaking awesome in bed. And in the places where he kept his clothes on: the office, the board room, a darkened alley. Ranger was good at everything he did.

He looked at her from behind the wheel. One eyebrow cocked, his mouth thinking about smiling but not quite smiling yet. She knew what that mouth could do. It was very good.

Stephanie thought, maybe he's good at everything because he only does the things he's good at. Maybe Ranger doesn't do marriage, doesn't raise children, because he's not good at those things. Maybe he's so determined not to fail, he won't let himself try.

"That's not enough," she said quietly. She rested her hand on his arm for a moment before crossing the lot to her apartment building.

She told herself that the expression on Ranger's face as she closed the car door had been amusement, nothing more. Maybe affection, maybe a little lust. But not respect, she told herself. Not tenderness.

And certainly not pride.


End file.
